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(11) | EP 1 251 214 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Method and device for joining timber I-beams |
| (57) A method is described for joining the end of a first timber I-beam to the side of
a second similar timber I-beam in wherein the end of the web of the first I-beam is
fitted between the two side cheeks of a rigid channel member which is secured to the
web by means of through fastenings such as bolts. The bridging section of the channel
member has at least one stud protruding therefrom in line with the web of the I-beam
to which it is secured, for securing to the web of the second transverse I-beam. A
hole is formed in the web of the second I-beam through which the or each stud can
pass, and the two beams are joined by fitting a closure member to the protruding end
of the stud. |
[0001] The channel member may comprise a bridging section which will abut the face of the second beam, and the securing means may comprise at least one stud protruding therefrom.
[0002] The or each stud may extend from the channel member in line with the web of the first I-beam.
[0003] The stud may be smooth and the closure device in the form of a push-fit washer such as a Circlip (Reg. Trademark).
[0004] Alternatively the or each stud may be formed with a plurality of annular flanges and a resiliently deformable washer push-fitted onto the stud, over the flanges until the web is held tightly against the rear of the base of the channel attached to the web of the first beam, with the washer held captive between one of the flanges and the web, and the flanges may be of triangular cross section so as to present a so-called fir-tree fastening.
[0005] Preferably however the or each stud is formed with a screw thread and the closure is a nut which may be a locking nut, with a washer sandwiched between it and the web of the second beam, if desired, and the joint is formed by screwing the nut onto the stud, until the web is tightly sandwiched between the nut (and washer if fitted) and the rear of the channel member attached to the web of the first beam.
[0006] The load bearing capacity of a joint formed in accordance with the invention is increased relative to what it would otherwise be, by employing the dished shear ring. The latter is preferably fitted by enlarging the opening in the web of the second beam which is to receive the stud, and fitting into the enlarged opening the dished shear ring so as to be a tight fit therein. The stud protrudes through the central opening in the shear ring and the engagement of the closure device on the stud serves to clamp the shear ring to the web of the second beam and to the rear of the channel member attached to the web of the first beam.
[0007] The closure member may be formed from metal or a rigid plastics material or from a metal reinforced plastics combination, or a composite such as GRP.
[0008] The stud or studs and the closures are typically formed from metal but may be formed from a rigid plastics material or a metal reinforced plastics combination.
[0009] The shear ring may be formed from rigid plastics or metal or GRP or a metal reinforced plastics configuration.
[0010] Where the channel member includes a bridging section which is to abut the face of the web of the second I-beam, the fit between the end of the first beam and the face of the second beam can be improved if the upper and lower rails (or flanges) of the first beam are cut back by an amount commensurate with the overhang of the corresponding rails (flanges) on the second beam relative to the web of the latter (less the thickness of the bridging base of the channel member), so that the web of the first beam extends beyond the end faces of the upper and lower rails (flanges) thereof.
[0011] In an alternative arrangement of channel member the two parallel plates forming the side cheeks which are to be secured to the web of the first beam are bent to form re-entrant regions beyond the end of the web of the first beam when fitted thereto, and beyond the re-entrant regions extend laterally to form oppositely directed fixing flanges which can be bolted to the web of the second beam (or may include integral studs for passing though the web of the second beam), the re-entrant regions being secured as by welding, back to back and serving to bridge the gap created by the overhang of the flanges of the second beam.
[0012] Preferably the side cheeks of the channel member extend over substantially the whole height of the web of the first beam so that the channel member is a snug fit between the upper and lower rails (flanges) of the first beam.
[0013] Preferably the bridging section of the one arrangement and the fixing flanges of the alternative arrangement extend over substantially the whole height of the web of the second beam so as to be a snug fit between the upper and lower rails (flanges) thereof.
[0014] Preferably the side cheeks of the channel member are formed with pairs of aligned holes and similar holes are formed in the web of the first I-beam, to allow bolts to be pushed through the hole in the end of the web and the two aligned holes on either side of the side cheeks of the channel member.
[0015] If desired the holes in the webs may be made slightly oversize and lined with a rigid cylindrical insert within which the bolt or stud is a close fit, to increase the load bearing characteristics of the joint.
[0016] The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Fig 1 is an exploded perpendicular view of an I-beam to I-beam fixing embodying the invention,
Fig 2 is a cross-section from above of the I-beam to I-beam assembly, using the fixing of Fig 1,
Fig 3 is an elevation partially in cross-section of a modification to the web of the transverse I-beam to strengthen the joint between the fixing and the I-beam web,
Fig 4 is a perpendicular view of the reinforcing ring used in Fig 3, and
Figs 5A and 5B are two views of an alternative design of channel member for securing one I-beam joist to another in accordance with the invention.
Detailed Description of Figures
[0017] As shown in Fig 1 a first timber I-beam 10 is to be butt-jointed to a second (transverse) timber I-beam 12. Each I-beam is formed from a relatively thin web 14, (16) and upper and lower rails 18, 20 (22, 24).
[0018] A channel member 26 having side cheeks 28, 30 and a bridging base 32 is provided for effecting the joint. The side cheeks 28, 30 are each pre-formed (as by drilling or punching) with three holes - those in side cheek 30 being visible in Fig 1 and being denoted by reference numerals 34, 36, 38.
[0019] The holes in the two side cheeks 28, 30 are aligned so that bolts can be passed through each pair of holes.
[0020] In order to secure the channel member 26 to the web 14, three similar holes 35, 37, 39 are formed in the web. The holes 34, 36, 38 in the channel member may serve as a template.
[0021] The gap between the internal faces of the side-cheeks 28, 38 is such that the web 14 is a close fit (if not a tight fit) therebetween.
[0022] The base 32 is secured to the transverse web 16 by means of three thread studs 40, 42, 44 and three corresponding holes 46, 48, 50 which are pre-formed at the correct position along the length of 16, as by drilling.
[0023] After pushing the web 16 onto the studs the web is secured by means of nuts and washers generally designated 52.
[0024] Tightening up the screws on the studs 46, 48 etc. will secure the web 16 securely to the base 32 of the channel member 26 as shown in Fig 2.
[0025] The upper and lower rails 18, 20 of I-beam 10 are to advantage cut back to leave a tongue 54 of the web 14 protruding beyond the ends of the rails, as is seen in Fig 1. This tongue will rest against the inside of the base 32 and create a better joint between the web and the channel member 26.
[0026] If the web 16 needs to be reinforced to resist deformation due to bending where the studs 40, 42, etc. protrude therethrough, a larger opening may be formed for each stud, and a dished metal shear ring 56 (see Fig 4) can be push fitted therein with the rim of the ring 56 overlying the web material around the opening. One such shear ring can be provided for each stud.
[0027] The rear of the ring 56 will then abut the rear of the base 32 of the channel member 56 as shown in Fig 3.
[0028] A similar rigid internal reinforcement (not shown) may be provided for each of the holes 35, 37, 39, in which event the latter need to be enlarged to allow for the wall thickness of the internal reinforcement, which latter is typically formed from rigid plastics or metal.
[0029] An alternative channel member 58 is shown in Figs 5A and 5B, which avoids the need to cut back the upper and lower rails 18, 20 of beam 10. Here the gap between the end of the web 14 and the face of web 16 is bridged by re-entrant formations in the two plates 60, 62 making up member 58. These formations are designated 64, 66 respectively and are joined by welding, brazing, riveting or the like, so that the two re-entrant regions remain back to back. The extent of the re-entrancy is such as to equate to the overhang of flange 12 relative to web 16, less twice the thickness of the plates 60, 62.
1. A method of joining one end of a first timber I-beam to a side face of a transversely
extending second similar timber I-beam, each I-beam comprising a web between parallel
elongate upper and lower flanges, characterised by the steps of:-
1) fitting the web at the said one end of the first I-beam between two parallel spaced apart side cheeks of a rigid channel member,
2) securing the channel member to the first I-beam web by means of at least one through fastening,
3) forming a hole in the web of the second I-beam to receive a securing member adapted to join the channel member to the second I-beam,
4) fitting into the hole in the web of the second I-beam a dished shear ring so as to be a tight fit therein, the shear ring having a central opening through which the securing member is to protrude,
5) positioning the second I-beam relative to the channel member and fitting a securing member by pushing it through the shear ring in the hole in the second I-beam so that an end of the securing member protrudes beyond the shear ring, and
6) securing the two beams together by fitting a closure member to the protruding end of the securing member to clamp the shear ring to the web of the second beam and to the rear of the channel member attached to the web of the first beam, whereby the second I-beam web is held tightly against the channel member.
2. A method according to claim 1 characterised in that the channel member includes a bridging section and the securing member comprises
at least one stud protruding therefrom on the face thereof remote from the side cheeks.
3. A method according to claim 2 characterised in that the stud extends in line with the web of the first I-beam when the joining member
is secured thereto.
4. A method according to claim 1 farther characterised by the step of cutting back each of the upper and lower flanges of the first beam so
that the ends of the flanges of the first beam are no longer aligned with the end
of the web, and the latter extends beyond the cutback end faces of the upper and lower
flanges thereof, in order to improve the fit between the end of the first beam and
the side of the second beam.
5. A method according to claim 1 characterised in that the side cheeks of the channel member include openings and the through-fastening
is pushed through an opening in the web.
6. A method according to claim 5, characterised in that openings in the side cheeks of the channel member are employed as a template for
forming a hole in the web of an I-beam to be fitted therebetween.
7. A channel section I-beam joining member securable to the web of a first timber I-beam
at one end thereof characterised by two parallel spaced apart side-cheeks joined by a bridging section which together
form the channel section, and at least one stud protruding from the bridging section
on the face opposite that from which the side-cheeks extend, so that when fitted to
the web the stud protrudes away from the end of the beam in line with the web thereof
to be received in an opening in the web of a second timber I-beam located transversely
to the end of the first I-beam, for joining the second I-beam to the first.
8. A joining member according to claim 7 characterised in that the height of the side cheeks of the channel section is commensurate with the distance
between the upper and lower rails of the first beam, so that when fitted thereto the
channel section is a snug fit therebetween.
9. A joining member according to claim 7 or 8 characterised in that the channel section is formed by two parallel plates spaced apart so as to receive
the web of the first I-beam as a close fit therebetween, each plate including a re-entrant
region formed by bending the plate, the two re-entrant regions being joined back to
back so that the two plates form an integral assembly, wherein, beyond the back to
back re-entrant regions, the plates extend outwardly to form fixing flanges for securing
to the web of the second beam, the back to back joined re-entrant regions constituting
a bridge between the two plates, and a spacer which bridges the gap between the end
of the web of the first beam and the face of the web of the second beam, created by
the laterally protruding rails top and bottom of the web of the second I-beam.
10. A joining member according to any of claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the side cheeks of the channel section are formed with pairs of aligned holes and
similar holes are formed through the web of the first I-beam, which align with the
holes in the side cheeks when the web is fitted therebetween, and fastenings are pushed
through the aligned holes whereby the web of the first I-beam is secured to and between
the side cheeks of the joining member.